Alexander Petrov is my palace. What God has prepared for those who love him God has prepared for those who love him

What did Solomon mean by these words? What did he encourage you to think about?

Some take these words literally. Those. Solomon praised God as a skillful Creator who created such complex senses. But if we understand this only this way, then other questions arise:

Why didn't he just write that God created man?
Why did he use these organs and not others?
Why didn't he bring up more complex things like the heavens and earth or the galaxy to praise God as Creator?

In fact, both the eye and the ear were not chosen by chance.

These are the sense organs with the help of which we experience the world and receive almost all information. However, seeing and listening in the Bible are associated not just with physical phenomena, but with wisdom, with the ability to analyze and draw correct conclusions, with discernment, etc.

Why not just an eye, but a “seeing” eye? Not just an ear, but a “hearing” ear? Because you can have eyes but not see, and have ears but not hear. Of course, not in a literal, but in a spiritual sense.

13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, and they do not understand; 14. And the prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled over them, which said: you will hear with your ears, but you will not understand, And you will look with your eyes and you will not see 15. For the heart of this people is hardened, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have closed their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts and let them not turn so that I may heal them. 16. Yours blessed are the eyes that see and your ears that hear... (Holy Gospel of Matthew 13:13-16)

In what sense did the Lord create “the hearing ear and the seeing eye”?

This means that only God can give true wisdom. And we became believers and “found” him only thanks to his mercy, and not by our own mind.

2. And Moses called all the children of Israel and said to them, “You have seen everything that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt with Pharaoh and all his servants and all his land; 3. those great plagues which your eyes have seen, and those great signs and wonders; 4. but until this day the Lord has not given you a heart to understand, eyes to see, and ears to hear.. (Book of Deuteronomy 29:2-4)

9. But, as it is written: the eye did not see it, the ear did not hear it, and it did not enter the heart man, what God has prepared for those who love Him. 10. And God revealed this to us by His Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. (1 Corinthians 2:9,10)

17 Then Jesus answered and said to him, Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for Flesh and blood have not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven…(Holy Gospel of Matthew 16:17)

44. No one can come to Me unless the Father draws him, who sent Me; and I will raise him up at the last day. (Holy Gospel of John 6:44)

. And when I came to you, brethren, I came to proclaim to you the testimony of God, not in excellence of speech or wisdom.

“And I came to you, brethren, not by superior speech or wisdom, declaring to you the testimony of God.”. The Apostle calls eloquence a word, and wisdom the art of speech, and says: “When I came to you, I took advantage of neither one nor the other.”

. For I have determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

“For you do not judge what is in you, but rather Jesus Christ and Him who was crucified.”. By the way, he used the word: “I did not judge,” letting them know that he could offer them a word about theology, but he taught one doctrine about the Economy, boasting about the Master’s suffering.

. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in great trembling.

“And I was in you in weakness and fear and trembling”. He was subjected to abuse, torture, and imprisonment.

. And my word and my preaching are not in the convincing words of human wisdom, but in the demonstration of the spirit and power.

“And my word and my preaching are not in words exceeding human wisdom, but in the manifestation of the Spirit and power.”. Because the evidence of the sermon was the miracle-working of the Spirit. Very appropriately, the Apostle placed the power of the Spirit along with the weakness of suffering.

. So that your faith rests not on human wisdom, but on the power of God.

“Let your faith not lie in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”. It was precisely for this reason that the Lord did not allow us to use eloquence, so that your faith would not be subject to suspicion, as if carried away not by the power of the word, but guided by the power of the Spirit.

. We preach wisdom among the perfect, but the wisdom is not of this age and not of the passing powers of this age.

“But we speak wisdom among those who are perfect: wisdom is not of this world, nor of the princes of this world that pass away.”. Since in what was said before he called preaching violence, using the name given by the infidels, it necessarily shows that for those who have accepted the true and perfect faith it really is and is called wisdom. “Princes” of the “century” he calls sophists, poets, philosophers and rhetoricians, as those who have acquired celebrity in real life through eloquence.

. But we preach the wisdom of God, secret, hidden, which He destined before the ages for our glory.

“But we speak the hidden wisdom of God in secret, having first ordained the world for our glory.”. The Apostle does not say that we are using a “verb” in the mystery, but that we are communicating to people the wisdom hidden in the mystery, which we have not ordered now out of any repentance, but from ancient times and from the beginning we have provided, thereby establishing our glory, because not only salvation, but and gives glory to the believers.

. Which none of the authorities of this age has known; for if they had known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

“No one of the princes of this age understood: If they had understood, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”. He called Pilate, Herod, Anna, Caiaphas and other Jewish leaders the princes of this age; He says that they did not know God’s secret and therefore crucified the Lord. That is why the crucified Lord said: “Father, let them go, they don’t know what they’re doing.”(). And if they knew that saving suffering would scatter them throughout the universe and would grant salvation to the pagans, they would not have dared to betray the Lord to suffer. Therefore, the Lord recognized them as worthy of leniency. But when, after His Resurrection from the dead, after His Ascension into heaven, after the Descent of the All-Holy Spirit, after the many different miracles of the Apostles, they remained in unbelief, then they were besieged. He called the Crucified Lord Lord of glory not because he attributes suffering to the Divine, but because he wants to show the excessiveness of the iniquity of those who sinned.

. But, as it is written: eye did not see, ear did not hear, and what he prepared for those who loved Him did not enter the heart of man.

“But as it is written: eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has the heart of man breathed the things prepared for those who love Him.”(). Since the Apostle mentioned the ignorance of the Jews and said that the secret of the Economy was hidden, then of necessity he added that what no one had heard of, what no one had ever seen and what the most insatiable mind had not thought of, he prepared for all those who had ardent love for Him. There should be no doubt about the testimony, for it is enough that the blessed tongue said: “as it is written”. And the book of Chronicles informs us that many other prophecies were written.

. And He revealed this to us by His Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

“He revealed to us to eat by His Spirit”. This is enough to prove the truth of the testimony, for he who received the revelation of the Spirit of God in the same revelation also received the knowledge of the testimony.

“The Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God”. He said: “tests,” meaning not ignorance, but accurate knowledge. For soon he says the same about God: "Try the Hearts". But if ignorance is signified in the second place, then so does the first. And if in the second there is knowledge, then likewise in the first. Just as knowledge shows equality, so ignorance shows inequality. For it will turn out that he does not know the hearts of men, and the Spirit does not know the depths of God. And one more thing: if testing is a sign of ignorance, and He tests everything, it will mean that He does not know everything. But we have spoken about this at greater length in other places. Therefore, let us turn to interpretation.

. For which man knows what is in a man except the spirit of man that dwells in him? Likewise, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.

“Who is the message from man who is in man, even the spirit of man living in him? In the same way, no one knows God’s message, but the Spirit of God.”. The Apostle showed that testing is not a sign of ignorance, for he added that He is also “the message of God,” just as we know our own thoughts.

. But we did not receive the spirit of this world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we might know the things freely given to us by God.

“We have not received the spirit of this world, but the Spirit that is from God, that we know that which is given to us by God.”. The Apostle showed that the All-Holy Spirit is not a part of creation, but has existence from God. For this is expressed in words: “We do not receive the Spirit of the world”, that is, we did not receive the spirit of creation and it was not through an Angel that the revelation of mysteries was communicated to us, but the Spirit Himself emanating from the Father taught us the hidden mysteries.

. Which we proclaim not in words learned from human wisdom, but in words learned from the Holy Spirit, comparing spiritual with spiritual.

“We speak not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Holy Spirit.”. Therefore, we have no need for human wisdom; the teaching of the Spirit is sufficient for us.

"Spiritual with spiritual judgment". For we have the testimony of the Old Testament and with it we confirm the New Testament, because the Old is spiritual. In order to indicate the prototypes of our mysteries, we present the environment of the lamb and the blood with which Prague is anointed, the crossing of the sea, currents from stone, the giving of manna and thousands of similar events - and with these prototypes we prove the truth.

. The natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, because he considers them foolishness; and cannot understand, because this must be judged spiritually.

“But a spiritual man does not accept the Spirit of God, for he has foolishness: and cannot understand, he strives beyond the spirit.”. The Apostle calls a “spiritual” person one who is content with his own thoughts alone, does not allow the teaching of the Spirit and cannot recognize it.

. But the spiritual one judges everything, but no one can judge him.

“The spiritual one strives for everything, but he himself does not compete with one.”. For whoever has been granted the grace of the Spirit is able to teach others, but has no need to be taught by others.

. For who has known the mind of the Lord so that he can judge him? And we have the mind of Christ.

“Who can understand the mind of the Lord and explain it?” “We are the mind of Christ imams”. The Apostle sufficiently proved that the Divine teaching has no need for anything. For if not only does He not need anything, but His wisdom is incomprehensible, and He communicated this wisdom to us, then we also have no need for the teaching of the so-called wise men.

Art. 9-13 But, as it is written, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God revealed this to us by His Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For which man knows what is in a man except the spirit of man that dwells in him? Likewise, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. But we have not received the spirit of this world, but the Spirit from God, so that we might know what has been freely given to us from God, which we proclaim not in words taught by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Holy Spirit, comparing spiritual with spiritual.

Where is that written? This is also said when something is depicted not in words, but in actions themselves, as for example in narratives, or when the same thought is expressed, although not in the same words, as here; for example words: “They will see what was not told to them, and they will know what they have not heard”(Is.52:15) - mean the same as the words: “The eye did not see, the ear did not hear”. Thus the apostle either expresses it, or perhaps it was really written in the books, but the books themselves have been lost. In fact, many books have been lost and only a few have survived since the first captivity. This is clear from the book of Chronicles. So the apostle says that “all the prophets, from Samuel and after him, ... foretold” about Him (Acts 3:24); but this is not visible, while Paul, as well versed in the law and speaking at the inspiration of the Spirit, probably knew everything exactly. But what am I saying about captivity? Many books were lost even before the captivity, when the Jews fell into extreme wickedness. This is evident from the end of the fourth book of Kings, where it is said that Deuteronomy was hardly found somewhere in an unclean place (2 Kings 22:8). Moreover, there are many prophecies of various meanings that are understandable only to the wisest and in which one can find many things that are unclear to others. What? Has the eye not seen what God has prepared? I certainly didn’t see it: which of the people saw the dispensation of God that was about to take place? Has it really not even been heard by the ear and entered into the heart of man? Is it so? If the prophets foretold, how did the ear not hear and the heart not enter? Definitely not included. The Apostle speaks not only about the prophets, but about all human nature. How? Haven’t the prophets even heard? They heard, but their prophetic hearing was not human hearing; they heard not as men, but as prophets. That's why Isaiah says: “awakens my ear, that I may listen”(Is.50:4), meaning the application given by the Spirit. From this it is clear that before they heard, it did not even enter into man’s heart, since after the giving of the Spirit the heart of the prophets was not a human heart, but a spiritual heart, as Paul himself says: "we have the mind of Christ"(1 Cor. 2:16) . The meaning of his words is as follows: before the Spirit was given to us and unknown secrets were revealed, none of us, nor any of the prophets, understood them. And could it be otherwise if even the angels did not know them? What can we say after this about the princes of this age, if none of the people and even the powers on high knew this? What? The fact that by the seeming madness of preaching the universe will be conquered, the nations will be converted, the reconciliation of God with people will be accomplished and such great benefits will be granted to us. How did we know this? "And for us", speaks, "God has revealed it by His Spirit"(1 Cor. 2:10) . Not by external wisdom, which, like a despised servant, is not allowed to enter inside and penetrate into the secrets of the Lord.

Do you see what is the difference between this and that wisdom? One taught us what the angels did not know; but the external one did the opposite: not only did it not teach, but it also served as an obstacle to this and, when everything had already been accomplished, it overshadowed the events and humiliated the cross. Thus Paul honors us by showing that we have not only learned, and together with the angels, but also learned from the Spirit himself. Further, showing the importance of knowledge, he says that if the Spirit, who knows the mysteries of God, had not revealed this to us, we would not have known. So God was pleased to keep this matter secret. Therefore, we needed a teacher who knew this clearly. "For the Spirit, he says, “tests everything, including the depths of God.” For which man knows what is in a man except the spirit of man that dwells in him? Likewise, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. But we have not received the spirit of this world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we might know the things freely given to us by God” (1 Cor. 2:10-12). Here's the word experiences does not mean ignorance, but exact knowledge; he uses the same expression about God when he says: “Test the message of your hearts, that this is the wisdom of the Spirit.”(Rom.8:27) Having spoken about the perfect knowledge of the Spirit, showing that it is equal to the knowledge of God, just as human knowledge is equal to itself, and proving that we have come to know everything from Him, and not otherwise than from Him, he continues: “Which we proclaim not from human wisdom learned words, but taught by the Holy Spirit, matching spiritual with spiritual” (1 Cor. 2:13). Do you see how he exalted us with the dignity of a Teacher? We are as much wiser than the pagans as Plato is from the Holy Spirit. They have rhetoricians as their teachers, but we have the Holy Spirit. What means: ? If there is any confusion regarding the spiritual, then we also provide explanations from spiritual objects; for example: I say that Christ was resurrected, that He was born of a Virgin, and to explain I cite evidence and types, Jonah's stay inside the whale and subsequent liberation, the birth of barren women, Sarah, Rebecca and others, the growth of trees in paradise, when not yet the seeds were thrown, the rains were not shed, the furrows were not made. Future events were outlined and foreshadowed, as if in shadow, by the former, so that they would believe in them after their fulfillment. I also show how man came from the earth, how without any copulation a wife came from one husband, how the earth itself came from nothing, how everywhere and in everything the power of the Creator was sufficient. This is how I explain the spiritual to the spiritual and nowhere do I resort to external wisdom, to reasoning and conclusions. Pagan sages strain and torment their weak minds, and cannot explain in any way what they are talking about, but they also do the opposite, lead to greater confusion, increase darkness and bewilderment. That is why the apostle says: “matching spiritual with spiritual”. Do you see how he proves that external wisdom is superfluous, and not only superfluous, but even hostile and harmful? He expressed this when he said: “lest the cross of Christ be made void”(1 Cor. 1:17), and: “so that your faith does not rest on the wisdom of men”(1 Cor. 2:5) . And now he proves that those who hope and rely on her in everything cannot learn anything useful.

Homilia 7 on 1 Corinthians.

St. Feofan the Recluse

But as it is written: eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and the heart of man has not breathed what God has prepared for those who love Him.

But– the opposite. Why? - the misunderstanding of the princes of the century. They didn’t understand: no one would have thought that this was something that there was nothing to look at. No, he says, not like that. They did not understand through blindness; but in fact this is such a high good that there is no such thing, has not been and never will be. “Since the Apostle mentioned the ignorance of the Jews and said that the mystery of the economy was hidden, then of necessity he added that what no one had heard of, what no one had ever seen and what the most insatiable mind had not thought of, God has prepared for all those who have ardent love for Him.” (Theodorite).

Written. Where? There is no such place in the Old Testament Scriptures. But the Apostle takes it from the spirit of all Scripture, or, having borrowed a thought from the spirit of Scripture, he took the word for expressing it from various places thereof. For example: from the ages we have not heard, below our eyes have seen God, have you(Isa. 64:4). Or more: Thus the multitudes of the nations will be amazed at Him, and the kings will stop their mouths: because those who have not heard about Him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.(Isa. 52:15). Theodoret cites the first, Saint Chrysostom points to the second, and perhaps word for word it was written like this, but that scripture has been lost. This is how Saint Chrysostom decides this: “and so it is said (that is, written) even when something is depicted not in words, but in the actions themselves, or when the same thought is expressed, although not in the same words, as here. Thus, the Apostle either expresses this, or, perhaps, it was really written in books, but the books themselves were lost.”

In words: eye not seeing, ear not hearing, heart not sighing, expresses the extraordinaryness, the greatness, surpassing all expectation, the incomprehensibility and immensity of the blessings given to us in Christ Jesus, and the very manner of their delivery, or the economy of salvation. God incarnates, takes on the form of a slave and is found in the image, like a man, humbles Himself even to death, the death of the cross, and this in order to justify people who have committed crimes against Him, to make sons, to spiritualize, to deify, to reveal not only light, but also luminous, and even more so, to lead everything in itself, whether earthly or heavenly. This is not only incomprehensible until it is accomplished and manifested by deeds, but even after it has been manifested and accomplished, it remains immense and inconceivable for everyone except those who are worthy of those benefits and those who are introduced into their communion; but they also taste and see, but cannot comprehend it. All this is prepared, he says, those who love God, that is, those who, having left everything, cleave to God with all their hearts, and enter into heartfelt living communion and unity with Him in a way indicated and prescribed by Him Himself, the image of which also forms part of the wisdom of God, hidden before, now revealed to everyone and openable.

Saint Chrysostom says: “What then? Has the eye not seen what God has prepared? - I certainly didn’t see it: for which of the people saw the dispensation of God that was about to take place? Has the ear really not heard, and has not entered into the heart of man? Is it so? If the Prophets foretold, how could it not be heard by the ear and entered into the heart of man? Definitely not included. The Apostle speaks not only about the Prophets, but about all human nature. How? Haven’t the Prophets even heard? They heard, but their prophetic hearing was not human hearing; they heard not as men, but as Prophets. Therefore Isaiah says: put your ear to hear(50:4), meaning the application given by the Spirit. From this it is clear that before they heard, it did not enter the man’s heart; for after the giving of the Spirit the heart of the Prophets was not a human heart, but a spiritual heart, as Paul himself says: mind of Christ imams(1 Cor. 2:16). The meaning of his words is as follows: before the Spirit was given to us and unknown secrets were revealed, none of us, nor any of the Prophets, understood them. And could it be otherwise if even the Angels did not know them? What can we say after this about the princes of this age, if none of the people and even the heavenly Powers knew this? What? “The fact that by the seeming madness of preaching the universe will be conquered, the nations will be converted, the reconciliation of God with men will be accomplished and such great benefits will be granted to us.”

The first letter to the Corinthians of the Holy Apostle Paul, interpreted by St. Theophan.

St. Macarius the Great

Question: What do the words mean: “ whom eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and the heart of man has not sighed»?

Answer: At that time, the great, righteous kings and Prophets knew that the Deliverer would come; but they did not know, did not hear, and it did not enter their hearts that He would suffer and be crucified, that blood would be shed on the cross, that there would be baptism by fire and the Holy Spirit, that bread and wine would be offered in the Church instead of His flesh and blood, that those who partake of the visible bread will spiritually eat the flesh of the Lord, that the Apostles and Christians will receive the Comforter, and will be clothed with power from above and filled with the Divine, that souls will be honored with unity with the Holy Spirit. The prophets and kings did not know this; this did not even enter their hearts. Nowadays, Christians are enriched in a different way and filled with love for the Divine, but even having such joy and consolation, they remain in fear and trembling.

Collection of manuscripts type II. Conversation 27.